I'm bound and determined to write this darn post. I've tried multiple times and I just can't get it quite right...Summer is wrapping up. I feel like I should join in and write a witty summer summary, but I've decided against it. I refuse to close this summer. Not the actual summer itself, but the things learned and experienced will be carried on and remembered. This summer has been such a great time of refreshment and renewal. I'd really like to share my heart with you, if that's alright.

Be warned, I'm not capable of a short blog post.

These are my discoveries, experiences, reminders, and joys of this sweet season of life, in no particular order...

I've grown so much in my walk with the Lord. He has renewed my joy, refreshed my Spirit and I've grown so much in my love for Him. I've been so challenged to share my faith, so blown away by His grace, and so in awe of the fact that the Spirit that raised Christ from the dead is also living in me. Wow. What a mighty God we serve.

I am blessed beyond measure by my friends. Yeah so we don't always keep in touch, but this summer has been such a sweet time of reconnection. I love how we can pick up where we left off. We grow and we change, but we still know each other well. We've done so much life together, and our hearts are knit together in that. I'm so blessed to have friends that don't just say they love the Lord, but that live it out in their day to day life. I'm constantly surrounded by encouragement, prayer, challenging conversations, good discussions, and of course laughter. Lots of it. My heart is so full thinking of these precious people. I hope you know how dear you are to me, and how much I appreciate being able to do life with you. Nothing beats those late night conversations sitting in random places or in someone's car just talking. O taste and see that the Lord is good. Seriously. He is good. He is good. He is good.








My summer job was undoubtedly a "God thing". It was so encouraging to be reminded of God's provision for us, even in the small things. I was reminded of how very much I love cooking, and I learned so much from the people I worked with. It was the most random hodge podge group of people you could possibly assemble--raging Italian from San Fran, hippie artist by day & bartender by night, a private investigator, and an ASFA teacher & actor from NYC. I learned a lot about food, cooking, catering, and bacon, but I also learned so much about people. Each person I worked with had such a different story to share, and I loved hearing about their lives. It was such a delight to love on my customers. The atmosphere was one of honesty, everyone was real and comfortable in their own skin--in both their talents and flaws. It was neat to see such different people work together and get things done. On another note, I really hate olives. And gazpacho. Yuck.

In addition I made some sound investments this summer in the form of My Fair Lady, a pair of killer heels, and my very first piece of furniture. I did some good reading and lost myself in many a bookstore. I was reminded of how much I love to sew, and that I truly enjoy photography. I've done some dreaming and now have an Italy fund in the form of a little blue piggy bank. I was reminded that I still don't like shopping, and should probably stop trying. I've realized how quickly time flies, and how quickly i'm "growing up", whatever that means. I've mourned the loss of the local Sneaky Pete's, had one Sno Cone too many, and am now considered a regular at Yogurt Lab.
I've watched my fair share of Gilmore Girls and have jammed to Jesse McCartney on a regular basis. I've stuck my foot in my mouth multiple times and had completely ridiculous moments that would only happen to me. On the flip side there have been times where there has been no doubt that God was speaking through me because the words spoken were not my own. I've seen Him work in both my life, and in those around me in ways that can't be explained but by His glory.

What a summer it has been...